Stop Treating AI Like an ERP Implementation - with Chris Gee | The Trending Communicator

Companies keep approaching AI the way they approached every other tech rollout: install it, train on it, expect immediate returns. But AI isn't software. It's imperfect by design, doesn't follow a predictable implementation curve, and the gap between what leadership promised the board and what's actually happening is becoming a serious problem.

Chris Gee has survived four complete career reinventions driven by technological disruption. The day he graduated with a graphic design degree, desktop publishing made it obsolete. Now he's helping organizations navigate the shift from generative AI to agentic systems while most are still struggling with basic adoption. His motto—"copilot, not autopilot"—frames how we should be thinking about all of this.

In this conversation, we dig into why AI adoption is stalling (hint: it's not the technology), the $17 trillion argument against AI replacing all jobs, how Chris built an AI agent named "Alexa Irving" for client onboarding, and why prompting skills aren't going anywhere despite predictions to the contrary.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction: The AI Transformation Hype
00:42 AI's Impact on Communication and Media
01:23 Guest Introduction: Chris G's Career Journey
02:24 The Role of AI in Modern Workflows
03:59 The Human Element in AI Integration
06:44 Challenges and Realities of AI Adoption
12:03 The Future of AI and Human Collaboration
42:17 AI's Role in Corporate Efficiency
42:55 The Value of Upskilling with AI
44:15 AI and Job Displacement Concerns
44:56 AI's Potential Beyond Efficiency
47:14 Flexible Work and AI Integration
50:32 Practical AI Applications
51:41 Experimenting with AI Tools
59:26 Advanced AI Use Cases
01:03:26 The Future of AI in Professional Fields
01:18:51 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans

🔗 CONNECT WITH CHRIS GEE
Website: https://chrisgee.me
LinkedIn:   / chrisgee  
Weekly Prompt Newsletter: https://chrisgee.me (sign up on site)

🎙️ ABOUT THE TRENDING COMMUNICATOR
The Trending Communicator is a podcast for communications and marketing professionals navigating what's next. Host Dan Nestle talks with industry leaders about the trends reshaping how we earn attention, build trust, and create influence.
Website: https://trendingcommunicator.com
Substack: https://trendingcommunicator.substack...

🔗 CONNECT WITH DAN NESTLE
Inquisitive Communications: https://be-inquisitive.com
LinkedIn:   / nestle  
Email: [email protected]

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👍 If this episode made you think differently about AI adoption, hit like and leave a comment—what's your organization treating AI like?

#AIStrategy #Communications #DigitalTransformation #Podcast #Leadership #FutureOfWork #AIAdoption